- Specific Details Omitted

John does not give us some of the specific details. For example, we cannot here pinpoint the time of the rapture of the believing church. John does give us one clue, however—the locust like creatures with scorpion stingers were instructed not to hurt men and women who had the seal of God in their foreheads. The living saints will be marked and protected for the little time they will yet be on earth. But the wicked and the unbelieving will be tormented by these invading creatures until they will want to die. And even that desperate respite will be denied them—they will not even be able to “end it all.” In John’s vision, there was a sixth trumpet blast. John heard a voice coming from the horns of the golden altar before God, saying, “Release the four angels” (Revelation 9:14). And the four angels who had been in readiness for this moment were released “to kill a third of mankind.” They accomplished their gruesome assignment by means of “mounted troops” numbering “two hundred million.” John adds: “The heads of the horses resembled the heads of lions, and out of their mouths came fire, smoke and sulfur. A third of mankind was killed by the three plagues of fire, smoke and sulphur that came out of their mouths.”

Now, I am aware that there are many people—even some Christians—who do not believe these judgments and torments will actually happen. They may discount the Revelation, arguing that the imagery is hard to interpret, but what will they do with the words and warnings of our Lord Jesus Christ? Here is what He said:

Watch out that no one deceives you. You will hear of wars and rumors of wars, but see to it that you are not alarmed. Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in various places. All these are the beginning of birth pains.

Then you will be handed over to be persecuted and put to death, and you will be hated by all nations because of me. At that time many will turn away from the faith and will betray and hate each other.

There will be great distress unequaled from the beginning of the world until now—and never to be equaled again. If those days had not been cut short, no one would survive, but for the sake of the elect those days will be shortened.

Immediately after the distress of those days
“the sun will be darkened,
and the moon will not give its light;
the stars will fall from the sky,
and the heavenly bodies will be shaken.” (Matthew 1:1-29)